St. Paul's Protestors May Force Closure

A protest at St Paul's Cathedral in London is entering its sixth day, as anti-capitalist activists continue to occupy the surrounding area. Inspired by last month's Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, Londoners started their own Occupy London Stock Exchange movement on Saturday, mirroring similar protests in cities around the world.

Protesting against the global financial system and corporate greed in the City, activists had hoped to occupy Paternoster Square, where the London Stock Exchange is based. However, after police blocked their way, they fell back to the nearby St. Paul's Cathedral square where they pitched around 100 tents.

Their plans soon received a boost on the Sunday morning when the cathedral's canon, Reverend Giles Fraser, announced that he supported their right to protest and that he would not ask for their removal for trespassing. More than that, he even revealed:

"There was a line of police who were kindly trying to protect the cathedral, but I thought that was unnecessary, so we brought them down."

Forced Closure?

However, after almost a week of protests, the cathedral is now facing problems of its own due to the increased "scale and nature of the protest camp" posing "a risk to the life of the cathedral". Indeed, a spokesman admitted that the makeshift campsite is now forcing the authorities to "review the extent to which it can remain open for the many thousands coming this week as worshippers, visitors and in school parties". The statement went on to say:

"Is it now time for the protest camp to leave? The consequences of a decision to close St Paul's cannot be taken lightly."

There is the feeling that something is going to have to give between one of Britain's oldest and most recognisable landmarks and the anti-capitalist movement currently residing there.

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